Trigger Warning: Strong Language

Chapter 3

THAT CONTRACT bothered my mind for the past few days, I can't help to to think about it. My father pawned the 20 hectare land he has at Labo? But why? That was passed down to their family through generations. I cannot think of a single reason on why he would pawn it.

It's Friday, and this afternoon, we have no classes so I have a free time to do some digging. What if he sends those money to the mistress? I cannot stop thinking about it.

"Mr. Cortez, you seem clouded. Mind hearing it out? I'm all ears," I was startled when a voice spoked behind my back. It was Missus Gonzales, scandal, my father... yeah, just that. Not really a big of a deal," I shrugged. "Excuse me po, may pupuntahan pa po ako."

"Ingat, 'nak," naging tugon na lang niya dahil tumayo na ako agad upang maglakad palayo.

Habang naglalakad naman ako palabas ng campus, marami pa rin akong naririnig na bulungan ngunit hindi ko naman sila pinagtutuunan ng pansin. Mayamaya, bigla namang may umakbay sa akin na muntikan ko pang suntukin, kung hindi ko pa nakita ang mukha.

"What's wrong with you?! I almost knock you off ground!" Bulalas ko kay Kyle, tawa-tawa naman ang loko.

"Para kasing ang laki-laki ng problema mo, tara na, laro na lang tayo. Wala naman pasok," sambit niya, nagt-taas kilay pa si gago. Hindi naman na niya ako hinintay at hinila na ako papunta sa basketball court ng school namin.

"I have to go somewhere, Kyle," saad ko at sinambot ang bolang ibinato niya sa akin saka labag sa loob na dinribble iyon sa semento.

"Isang laro lang!" Sigaw niya saka tumakbo sa gitna ng court. Kami lang ang naririto sa gitna, may ibang estudyanteng nakaupo sa bleachers ngunit karamihan ay may sariling buhay. Ang iba ay nakikipaglampungan sa kasintahan nila.

Sa ilang minutong paglalaro, hindi ko namalayan na nakangiti na ako at tumatawa. Sa isang sandali, hindi ko iniisip ang mga problema sa bahay. Sa isang sandali, nakalimutan ko na unti-unti na kaming nabibiyak.

"Tangina mo!" Tumatawang sigaw ko nang akmang aagawin sa akin ni Kyle ang bola. Kaagad na akong tumalon at inihagis ang bola sa ere upang papasukin iyon sa ring, at hindi naman ako nabigo dahil pumasok iyo. Tinaasan ko ng middle finger si Kyle at mabilis na tumakbo papunta sa bola.

"Hayop ka, Marlo! Kalmahan mo lang!" Sigaw ni Kyle habang tumatawa akong itinatakbo habang dini-dribble ang bola papunta sa kabila ng court. "Marlo, kaibigan mo 'ko, hoy!" Sigaw pa niya na ikinatawa ko naman.

Inihagis ko kay Kyle ang bola na muntik pang tumama sa mukha niya, ngunit kaagad niyang nasalo.

We spent the next hour just constantly swearing each other all across the basketball court. It was exhausting but having my mind completely clear at that moment really put my whole system at ease. It feels like I'm not even carrying a single weight on my shoulders.

Matapos maglaro, tumatakbo na kami ngayon ni Kyle sa plaza ng school namin sa ilalim ng tirik na araw. Humihingal na tumigil kaming pareho at nahiga sa kulay berde na damo.

"Tangina mo!" Sigaw ko nang daganan ako ni Kyle, itinulak ko siya paalis sa ibabae ko at nahiga naman siya sa tabi ko. Kapuwa kami tumatawa sa kalokohan niya habang nakatitig sa mga ulap sa kalangitan. Breathing heavily, I jokingly punched Kyle's flank. "Salamat pre,"

"Ayan ka na naman, eh. Wala naman akong ginagawa, nagpapasalamat ka na naman. Magpasalamat ka kapag binigyan kita ng isang milyon ta's isinama sa Switzerland," he joked, which we both laughed about. "As if naman isasama kita roon, gagawin mo lang akong camera man para sa thirst trap mo sa Instagram."

"Pardon me? I don't do thirst traps?" I laughed, then he punched me back on my flank.

"Yeah? You don't go to the gym then do lip syncs on the mirror while wearing your compress shirt then uploading it on your social media? Yeah, sure you don't," he said, sarcastically nodding like a jerk.

After spending the next ten minutes exchanging nonsense with Kyle, we bid our goodbyes and walked our different way home. But I am not going home, I plan on visiting our business to check something that's going to satisfy my curiosity.

When I hopped into a tricycle, I saw the car of my mom passed by. I called the tricycle driver and told him to follow the red car.

The car pulled in the warehouse of our stores. Bumaba na ako ng tricycle at nagbigay ng two hundred pesos sa driver saka naglakad palayo. Hindi naman ako nagkaproblema sa pagpasok dahil kilala nila ako rito.

Nang makapasok ako sa loob, nagtago ako sa likod ng mga sako ng bigas sa gilid upang sundan si mama na papunta sa opisina niya. Nothing suspicious, it was just a usual activity in our warehouse. But what bothers me is the new faces of some employees.

The drivers of the trucks are new. Even the drive rof my mom is new, based on what I saw earlier. Ang ilan din sa mga kargador ay pinalitan na, maging ang mga tagalinis. How come I never knew about the change of employees? Back then, I'm the first one that they consult before making the final decision.

I followed my mom to her office, I peeked through the glass of the door, good thing the door was quite hidden from the entrance, I cannot be seen by the workers. Mom is talking to a woman inside, and she's vaguely familiar. Is she the mistress they're talking about? The woman looks horrified. Her right cheek is red.

I hid when they looked to my direction, I slowly walked away and carefully stepped behind the sacks of rice. I ran carefully walked away and walked outside the warehouse like nothing happened. I ran to my mom's car and hid at the back of the vehicle.

When I saw mom's driver walking through the car, I hid myself under a blanket and camouflaged between the boxes. I heard the door opened and my mom's voice echoed the insides of the car.

"Sa Gumaos," said, my mom.

My brows furrowed, that's where our beach is located, I can remember it vaguely because I was there when dad made the deal between the original owner. The deal totaled ten million in Philippine pesos. That is not more than one-hundred seventy thousand pesos that my dad is going to pay for the next five years, per month.

After more than an hour of a ride full of silence, we have finally arrived. I didn't know why it took so long. Nang makababa na sila, sumunod na rin ako upang malaman ko kung saan pa sila pupunta.

Naglalakad sila habang ako ay pinanonood sila mula sa likod ng sasakyan. Papunta sila sa private beach house na nasa dulo ng property. Habang nakabalot sa kumot na galing sa sasakyan, sinundan ko sila papunta sa beach house.

Hindi kaaya-aya ang amoy pero kaya kong pagtiisan. Hindi naman ako kahina-hinala dahil marami rito ang nakabalot sa tuwalya, maging ang ulo nila.

Matagal na rin kasing nago-operate ang beach na 'to, kaya marami ng tao dahil unti-unti na nilang nad-discover. Iyong mga katabing beach area kasi ay punuan ng tao, kaya't naghahanap sila ng area na kakaunti pa ang tao.

I walked on the front porch of the house, sumilip ako sa bintana at naningkit ang mga mata dahil tinted iyon at hindi ko gaanong makita ang loob dahil sa liwanag. Marahan kong in-slide ang bintana upang buksan ng bahagya, ngunit hindi ko inaasahan ang aking nakita.

It was my mom, pushed against the wall by Uncle Roger - dad's bestfriend and also their business partner. It was not violence - they were kissing passionately with their body almost naked. Both of their hand were eager to explore each other's body as they press themselves against the brick wall.

I took my camera and videotaped the scene for evidence. I closed the window and ran away in shock.

I was breathing heavily, my hands were treambling, my mind's so confused. What is happening? Why is this happening? How could they do this? How long have been they doing this? I have so many questions in my mind, and none of them cannot be answered.

I walked towards the seashore and sat on the white sand. I'm so drained. Is this why mom's going out more lately? Because I'm so fvcking confused.

"Fvck you. Tanginang buhay 'to," hindi ko na napigilan pa ang mga nagbabadya kong luha at hinayaan na lang ang mga ito na bumagsak. "Ano bang ginawa kong masama para mangyari sa 'kin 'to? Kasi putangina, pagod na pagod na ako,"

Nakakapagod nang intindihin ang isang sitwasyon na sa huli ay guguluhin lang din naman ulit ang isip ko. Nakakapagod nang umiyak. Nakakapagod nang isipin kung ano na ang sunod kong gagawin.

"Tama naman na oh, pagod na pagod na ako..." patuloy sa pagbagsak ang aking mga luha habang nakatitig ako sa kulay kahel na langit. Humihikbi ako habang tinatapon ko ang maliliit na bato sa tubig ng dagat. "Nakakapagod nang magpanggap na malakas, ayoko na ng ganito..."

I kept on pleading as if someone's going to hear my voice. Most of the people are now heading their way home, or going inside their tents, or having dinner at their cottages. They were happy, while I'm here, stupefying at the vast ocean with years streaming down my eyes.

"Tangina naman k-kasi," tinulungan ko ang sarili kong tumayo at pinunasan ang mga luha sa umaagos sa pisngi. Patuloy sa paghikbi, tinungo ko ang daan palabas ng resort. "P-puwede pong makisabay? Hanggang sa centro lang po," pakiusap ko sa isang jeep na paalis na.

I looked back at the beach house, the house was lit up by electric lanterns, lights from the inside also can be seen from afar. As the jeepney drive away, I saw the door of the beach house opened. And then I witnessed my mom clinging her arms to Uncle Roger, while happily walking on the white sand.

Fvck you.

-**-

GABI na nang makauwi ako, mahigit nang alas siete at nang pumasok ako sa bahay ay nadatnan ko si Mona na nagluluto ng hotdog. My heart clenched as I watch my sisters work on their own. Many times, I thought of giving up, but every time I see my sisters barely holding on, I have no choice but to be strong. For them, at least.

"Kuya, you're home! Where have you been?" Mona asked, sounding like a worried mother. I locked the door and dropped my things on the marble floor. It's okay to be vulnerable even just one time right? It's okay for the source of strength to be weak?

"Mona... Mal..." I pursed a smile, but no matter how I stop myself from breaking down, my knees still failed me and dropped on the floor. My sisters hugged me and I couldn't help but to let my tears out. "I'm tired. I'm drained. I don't know what to do anymore..."

"We're always here, kuya. You don't have to pretend that you're not hurt, you don't have to pretend you're okay just to cheer us up. Sometimes, even the shiniest metal needs to be maintained to prevent rusting. And the strongest building needs a foundation to stood firm. You always have us, you will always have us," Mona whispered into my ears.

"It's okay to cry, crying signifies strength..." Mal said while tapping my back.

Our moment suddenly got paused because of a knock on the door. I wiped my tears and told my sisters I'm going to get the door. When I opened it, I saw that it was the lady mom's talking to earlier at the warehouse.

"You're Marlo, right?" She asked, and I nodded. "I'm sorry..."

"Is it true? Dad cheated to my mom with you?" I asked without stuttering, I need to know the truth. Because my mind keeps on spitting that information out of my mind. "Please, answer me..."

Her tears streamed down her cheeks, and I felt some kind of relief when she shooked her head between sobs. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to! I was scared! Andrea said she would send her men to make my family suffer if I tell people the truth. But my conscience is eating me up, hi di ako pinatatahimik ng utak ko dahil may nasira akong pamilya!"

Unti-unti siyang lumuhod sa harapan ko ngunit pinigilan ko siya. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko. I am lost of words.

"Hindi totoong nagloko si Sir Manuel, actually, it was Andrea who cheated. Nahuli siya ni Sir Manuel at dahil do'n ay natakot siyang ibunyag ni sir ang katotohanan kaya gumawa siya ng k'wento," patuloy na paliwanag niya, nakatitig pa siya nang diretso sa mga mata ko. "Kaya sorry talaga, alam kung wala nang magagawa ang sorry ko pero, hindi ko na talaga kaya... Sorry, Marlo... Sorry sa pamilya mo..."

I watched her broke down in tears, she's sobbing and her hands were trembling. I can see bruises and wounds in her skin, and just thinking about it sends chills through my spine.

"That's bullshit..." I felt my tears building up, once again. What a family. What kind of a mother you are.